26 September 2012

Emma Dunk: Networking is key to growth

Emma Dunk, EM-Between Communications

Emma
Dunk from KwaZulu-Natal started EM-Between Communications, a public relations
consultancy in June 2003 after deciding that a life back in the corporate world
wasn’t as fulfilling as being a new mum. So she seized the opportunity and hasn’t
looked back!

What were you doing before starting your
business?

I
worked in a corporate PR firm and then moved across to the advertising agency
world. I worked at two different agencies as an account executive. The pressure
and fast pace took a serious strain on my health and, as a result, I took
longer to fall pregnant than I’d expected. Almost two years later my husband
and I were blessed with a healthy baby boy (Ethan) and my whole world changed.
I knew then that I didn’t want to go back to the corporate world and thought “If
not now, when will I ever start my own business?” My passion always remained in
PR, so the decision to move solely into this field was easy.

What kind of planning went into starting
the venture?

There
wasn’t too much “heavy” planning involved to be completely honest. I
brainstormed a business name and settled on EM-Between Communications (for
obvious reasons J),
had my company name registered and then got a friend who was a graphic designer
to design my logo.

What was your start up capital and where
did you work from?

I
converted my study at home into a small office, bought a computer, printer, fax
machine, new office furniture, office stationery etc. Paid my graphic designer
friend a whopping R250 for my logo and had a basic website developed. Total set
up costs where just over R10 000, which I borrowed from my folks and
repaid them within my first year in business.

What was your big dream for this venture?

One
of my USP’s (Unique Selling Propositions) was the fact that I was a small consultancy and was therefore able
to provide my clients with personal attention – they wouldn’t be palmed off to
a junior account executive (AE) who didn’t know how to handle their account. Another
big attraction for clients was the fact that I would build relationships on
their behalf with key media and get them free below-the-line coverage. Working
with someone on a retainer basis is also appealing to clients, as they don’t
have the pressure of having to employ a permanent person and set them up with
an office, furniture, equipment etc. It’s a far more cost effective option with
not as many strings attached!

How does a new entrepreneur find business
leads and profit from them?

I
found networking key to the growth of my business. I joined up with a few
networking groups and made sure I met with as many new people as possible – having
one-on-one coffee appointments with people so that we could get to know each
other and I’d have the opportunity to explain what I do. After all, people only
do business with people they know, trust and respect. Ask for testimonials from
existing clients and use them! I was pleasantly surprised at how willing my
clients were to oblige. Testimonials are your biggest and most powerful form of
advertising, especially in a service-related field!

How does a new entrepreneur figure out what
makes them unique and leverage that difference?

Listen
to what the market is saying: what problem are they experiencing and how can
you help or fix it – make yourself the solution. In my case, I kept contact
with a few of the clients from the advertising agency I had left and noticed a
common thread when chatting with them – they all complained that they weren’t
receiving the attention that they felt they deserved, as they had been pushed
from junior AE to junior AE. They also wanted help in getting more free
coverage and more below-the-line space in conjunction with their advertising as
budgets were getting tighter and tighter.

How does a new entrepreneur figure out what
to charge for their service/product?

I
phoned around, Googled and spoke with other contacts in the industry to conduct
research in terms of fee structures and billing options, and then positioned
myself slap-bang in the middle – not too expensive and not cheap!

What was your most epic fail in the early
days?

I
had an idea of what I wanted my company logo to look like and got my graphic
designer friend to do a few options of it for me to show to friends and family
for their opinions. In a nutshell I wanted EM to be placed in the middle of the
word communications – I figured this would be quite clever and would literally
show EM in-between the word communications. Long story short… this was an epic
fail and nobody else got it at all – if anything, they were all completely
baffled! I quickly swallowed my pride and had my graphic designer buddy get
stuck in to doing what she does best!

What are the two biggest/most common mistakes
that new entrepreneurs make?

I
think they often fall into the trap of saying yes to any and all business that
comes their way instead of being selective with the types of clients they know
they should be working with. Another mistake I think most new entrepreneurs
make is under-valuing their time – or cutting their price just to get the work
… big mistake!

How do you keep yourself motivated to
continue?

I
have a gratitude journal that I try to write in as often as I can … I always go
back to it if I’m feeling low and page through it… within no time I am feeling
less sorry for myself and ready to carry on moving forward!

Did you have a mentor?

I
didn’t have one mentor in particular, but rather surrounded myself with a core
group of other women in business who were always a phone call or email away
with help, advice and reassurance!

How long does it take for a venture to get
off the ground, in your experience?

I
started off small with only one retainer client and slowly grew from there. It
took me eight months before I managed to secure my second retainer client.
Rather than shut shop if things aren’t picking up, I say tweak your offering.

Do you believe in internships for your
business?

Yes,
I have already had three students spend time with me – generally for a few days/week at a time. If readers want to intern, it’s a simple process: email me: emma@embetween.co.za

If you could give yourself any advice back
then, what are your top 5 wisdoms?

*
Ask for help! You will be amazed at how many people are willing to give you
advice freely!

*
Stick to your knitting: stick to what you are good at and outsource what you
battle with.

1 comment:

“Listen to what the market is saying: what problem are they experiencing and how can you help or fix it – make yourself the solution.” You are definitely right! Targeting what your audience is in need of can give your products and services a higher chance of becoming a hit and raking in profits.